On Friday we went to the Wells Fargo History Museum in downtown Phoenix. I love to visit because of their outstanding collection of western artwork.

At the Wells Fargo History Museum

However, my boys did not care to go to a stagecoach museum with outstanding artwork.

So I bribed them with peeps.

Once we got there, they were engaged and entertained. It helped that this little carriage was free and offered unlimited trips. It did not help that I had to stand there with them while they used it, instead of exploring.

The boys are super into gems and minerals from playing Minecraft–so I said, I wonder what is in that cave and off they went to see.

and off I went to explore the gallery of N.C. Wyeth Western artwork and western sculptures. It is seriously a treasure. Photos are not allowed, here is an example of some of his work, much more is in the museum.

The Wyeth family of artists are an American treasure. They deserve a separate blog post. For now, back to the museum, the boys were wound up and having a blast.

Brady was in the strong boxes.

Christian explored the old fashioned phone and the hands on office (it really works!)

On the floor of the museum is the route of all the stage coach stops. I recognized the name of one close to our house.

So tonight we took the boys for a visit.

The next day I took the boys to a real stage coach stop

And I didn’t even have to bribe them with peeps.

Just wide open spaces

beautiful spring weather

folks riding horses

tumbleweeds

I love history in context.

Take a look for yourself, the Wells Fargo History Museum is:

Address
145 West Adams Street
Phoenix, AZ 85003
(602) 378-1852

Museun hours
Monday through Friday, 9-5

Free admission

The Wells Fargo History Museum is located in downtown Phoenix between 1st & 2nd Avenues in the Wells Fargo Plaza Building. This museum highlights the company’s role in Arizona and the Southwest.

Exhibits include:

An authentic 19th Century stagecoach
A replica stagecoach you can climb aboard
An interactive telegraph
An art gallery with the largest public display of illustrator N.C. Wyeth’s western-themed work
Parking
The Wells Fargo Plaza parking garage entrance is located off 1st Avenue. There is additional metered parking available on Adams Street. The museum can be reached from the Metro Light Rail and on the free Downtown Dash loop.

The first thing I did for our family when we moved to Phoenix, was purchase tickets to the Phoenix Symphony Family Series.

illustration from Treasure Island by N.C. Wyeth

We can take the light rail downtown to the concert hall, or park on the street for free because it is the weekend. There are many inexpensive places to have lunch nearby. Brady and I like to have bagels and fruit at Einstein’s Bagels across the street from the Symphony Hall.

We renewed our subscription for next year. If you want to see the schedule for the 2013-2014 series, follow this link.

If you arrive early, there is plenty to see and do. Every show is themed with activities for the kids, folks dressed in costume, crafts and an orchestra petting zoo. The concert is a little over one hour long, and includes a comic storyline to keep the kids engaged.

Joseph Young is the conductor for the Phoenix Family Series.

For a follow up, I’m going to watch Moby Dick on my iPad, I like sea chanties and the romance of the sea.

My favorite way to introduce the boys to music and the magic of the symphony was to play Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf. There are many versions you can buy. My favorite is narrated by Boris Karloff (the voice of the Grinch)

Peter and the Wolf

Do you have favorite classical music? Can you tell me about it? There are so many versions of everything,it is hard to choose. Please recommend something to me!